Ignition-regulator.



J. C. CARPENTER. IGNITION REGULATOR. APPLICATION TILED OUT. 22. 1908.

v Patented Sept. 26., 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J'DHN C. CARPENTER, 0F HOUSTON HEIGHTS, TEXAS.

' IGNITION-REGULATOR.

ing the ignition of the fuel charge in the cylinder of internalcombustion engines,

The accompanying drawings illustrate the application of this device tointernal combustion engines, such as are used on automobiles.

This device is particularly designed to work automatically being soarranged that the governor and throttle connecting rod will act upon theignit on timer iii such a manner as to secure the hi hest volumetriceiiiciency of the explosion immediately after the crank has passed thedead center.

The object of the inventionis to-so control the spark or other means ofignition as to secure ignition at the proper time under varying loadsand at varying speeds of the engine. As is well known the spark may advance relatively to the speed of the engine with economy of fuel, onlyso long as the engine is under substantially fullload; but under lightload the spark needs to be further advanced. My device is intended toeffect this advancement automatically; and

T is provided with means for attachment to the governor stem, the sparklever, ignition timer and the throttle connecting rod,'motion beingtransmitted through these agen cies.

Another feature resides in the provision of means whereby the spark orother means of ignition may also be manually controlled in the ordinaryway and the manual spark lever may be operated while the motor isrunning in order to correct faulty adjust. ment or to aid in determiningthe correct method of adjustment.

Another object of the invention is'to provide means for positivelyassuring the roduction of the electric spark or means o ignition forigniting the charges in the cylinders of internal combustion engines atthe desired period, said means being'controlled Specification ofLettersiatent. Application-filed October 22, 1908. Serial No. 459,086-

Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

eiiher by the speed of the engine or manua I A still further object ofmy device is to govern the point of i ition'so that the combustionwilLbe co'mp eted when'the crank is expansion from the combustion.

j a With the above and other objects in view jmy invention hasparticular relation to certain novel features of construction andoperation an example of which is given in this ispecification andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

used on an automobile en ine. Fi 2 is a end elevation thereof taken fromthe front !of the car.

drawings wherein like numerals of referjust past'dea'd center thusgiving the highest I Figure 1 is a plan view of my device as sideelevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is an Referring now more particularlyto the ence designate similar parts in each of the drawings, the numeral1 refers to a portion of the frame of an automobile, 2 the dashboard and3 the foot board. The steering wheel 4 is of the usual form and iscarried on the shaft of steering post 5 which is mounted on a suitablebearing 6. This steering post carries the spark lever '7 which controlsthe action of the spark lever connecting rod 8. The steering post alsosupports the-throttle-levertl which has connection with the throttleconnecting rod 10. This rod controls the movement of the throttle valveof the carbureter 11 and preferably passes between the primary lever 12and the secondary lever 13 at their extrcmities serving as a washerbetween them and is hingedly connected to these levers preferably bymeans of a pivot hinge 14. The levers 1 12 and 13 lie parallel to eachother when the machine is at rest and the position may be termed theirnormal position. At their other extremities these levers are eachenlarged into T heads 15 and 16. Each of: these heads is provided with aplurallty oi oblong transverse slots 17, the slots of each head beingdirectly opposed and parallel to the corresponding slots in the otherhead. These levers are thus constructed in order to provide anindependent hinge connection between said levers. and the ignition tuneroperative rod 18. This independent jomt is formed by passing a cotterpin 19 through the ignition timer operative rod 18 and extending thesame through a slot in one 'of the T heads and through it opposingslotin the other T head, said heads-being on op-.

movement in opposite direction without the cotter pin interfering withthe movement of either.

lVhen the lever 12 is in its normal position it lies parallel also toits cotiperating lever 20 to which it is connected preferably by meansof link 21. connected to both lever 12 and 20 by means {9r clamp hinges22 and 23 and each of said levers is provided with a number ofcorresponding holes 24 toadmit of the lateral adjustment of the link 21on the levers. The lever 20 is hinge'dly connected at one end thereof tothe spark lever connecting rod. 8

I by means of an adjustable clamp hi-n e 25,

holes 26 being provided in said lever or its adjustment. The distancebetween the holes 26 is equal totwi'ce the distance between the holes24.

At its other end this lever 20 has a hinge connection with the governorstem 27. This hinge is preferably formed by gassing-the stemdiametrically through a at cylindrical block 28. The end of the le ver20 lies upon the flat side of this block and is movably secured theretoby means of a capstan screw 29 which passes through said lever and issecured in a tapped hole in said This tapped hole extends to the block.

' transverse hole through which the governor 1 the block.

stem passes and the capstan screw is designed to, screw down againstsaid stem and hold the same against -movement through mit-s theadjustment of said block upon the governor stem. The governor stem alsohas v a hinge connection with the secondary lever 4 '13 by means of aclamp hlnge 30.

I desire to call special attention to the form of governor which I haveshown in the drawings. The governor is constructed of a fixed transversebrace 31, to either end of which bell'cranks 32 'and 33 are pivotallyconnected. These bell cranks are similar in shape and constriurt-ion andto one arm of either crank weights 34 and 85 are attached while theother ends areconnected with the sliding sleeves36 by means of links if?and 38. These links are pivotally attached to both-the bell cranks andthe sliding sleeve.

This sleeve is designed to slide on the governor shaft 39 and thegovernor stem as connected to said sleeve by means of a yoke 40; Thegovernor shaft carries a pulle wheel 41 to which motion is transmittedfrom pulley 42 which is carried by the'fly wheel shaft 43"which in turnis operated by fly wheel 44, motion is transmitted ifrom one. pulley tothe This link is hingedly' This arrangement readily per-- rooaaee bycoil springs, (not shown). advantage of a governor device of the kindshown and described resides in the fact that in this device the weightshave a more sensitive control over the movements ofthe sleeve;

than in the ordinary governor and also any wear 1n the other parts ofthe governor will not have a very appreciable effect upon the movementof the sleeve untilthe Wear becomes decided. g

The operation of my deviceis as follows:

When the motor is at rest, if the throttle lever is advanced the ends ofthe secondary and primary lever attached thereto are also f advanced andthe secondary lever operatingupon the governor stem and it-he primarylever operating on link 21 as fuflcrums cause retard of ;-tl1e T headsof the levers and .the spar-lr,.and give a negative lead. This retardmovetnent is accomplished by the action-of pull spring 46 operating uponthe ignition timer operative rod 18 which has a hinge connection withthe arm 47 of the timer 48. The retard movement of the T heads of theselevers merely carries them out of. engagement'wi-th the cotter pin 19and permits the rod 18 to yield to the pull of the spring 16 and thusretard the spark. When the motor starts the governor is set in motionand centrifugal force causes the governor weights to separate and thegovernor sleeve and stem. connected therewith advance and the stemcarries-along with it the secondar lever and also cooperating leverconnecte crating upon the hinge-14 as a fulcrum advancesrtheignition'tilner operative rod and the spark. This is the same as theadvance of the governor stem when they are each attherewith whichsecondary lever opi tachedto the secondary lever at equal distances fromthe fulcrum and is greater or less accordingly as the ignitiontimeropera 'tive rod is attached to said secondary lever beyond thepoint of attachment o1"=the governor stem thereto or between said pointof attachment and the fulcrum 1. .1:, regardless of the action of thethrottle connecting rod. lVith low speed and limited throttle openingthe spark mayinot be sufficiently advanced by tho governor, then byadvancing the spark {lever the spark lever connecting rod 8 advances thelever 20 which operating upon the governor stem as a fulcrum advancesthe primary lever 12 acting through link 21, and causes the primarylever to assume control of the ignition timer operative rod andconsequently the spark, so long as the mean average advance of thethrottle connecting rod and governor stem, as modified by the eifect ofthe throttle connecting rod 10 upon the ign tion tuner connecting rod18, wlnle acting upon the governor stem v 40 the pointof force exertion.

as a fulcrum, does not exceed the advance of the spark lever connectingrod and if this mean average advance does exceed the ad- Vance of saidconnecting rod, the secondary lever again assumes control.

If the ignition timer operative rod 18 is attached to thesecondary/leverat'a point which is the same distance from the hinge 14 as the point ofattachment of the governor stem to said lever, and the spark leverconnecting rod 8 and the governor stem 27 are both advanced the sparkwill be advanced to a degree equal to the sum of the total advance ofspark lever connecting rod '15. and governor stem diminished by theadvance of the throttle connecting rod 10, if the same is advanced; andif the rod 10 is stationary during the advance of rod 8 and stem 27 theadvance of the ignition timer operative rod 18 and the spark will equalthe joint advance of rod 10 and stem 27.

Rcfeu-ing now to the relative action of the primary and secondary leversupon the ignition timer operative rod and the spark when the force isexerted upon said lever by the movement of the throttle connecting rodwe get the following results: 1) The secondary lever with theignitiontimer operative rod 18 and governor stem attached to it at pointsequally distant from hinge 14 has no control of spark through the actionof the throttle connecting rod. (2) The primary'levcr with the ignitiontimer operative rod and governor stem together as above, gives amovement to the ignition timer operative rod andspark, contrary indirection to the movement of the throttle connecting rod and varyinginversely as the link 21 which acts as a fulcrum is moved toward or from(3) 'ith the ignition tinicr operativerod attached to the secondarylever at a point a greater distance from 'hinge 14 than the distance ofthe point of attachment of governor stem to said secondary lever, fromsaid hinge, the throttle connecting rod movement has a greater effect onthe ignition timer operative rod and consequently on the spark, throughthe primary lever than through the secondary lever until the distancefrom ignition timer operative rod to governor stem equal distance fromgovernor stem to throttle connecting rod.

With the above described device the spark or anothcrmeans of ignition isantomatically advanced or retarded, effecting a savingin fuel, a bettercombustion of the olmrge thus preventing overheating the engine andconsequent wear, absolute automatic control of the spark irrespective ofloads and speeds without necessity for use of manual lever, thus leavingthe hands of the operator free from other duties and relievingoperatorfrom the necessity of-manipulating manual lever. Through theoperation of the means herein set forth the. time of ignition isadvanced either by the reduction of the throttle opening or by increasedmotor speed or by manual lever, and is retarded by a contrary movementof either of these agencies. a

While I have shown a specific form of my device I do not wish to limitmyself to this form as shown and described but desire to be permitted tovary the form and construction of the same so long as the spirit of theinvention is not departedfrom. And it is to be specially observed thatany of the various methods of ignition of the fuel charge in thecylinder of internal combustion engines may be used in connection withmy device. It is to be further observed that the references-in thisspecification to the advance and retard of .the spark specially mean theadvance and r tard of time of ignition of the fuel charge in that classof engines above referrcd to.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In an ignition regulator, the combination with a rodfor operatmg a throttle valve, a governor responsive to engine speed,and an ignition timer, of a lever, connected with said throttle valveoperative rod, said governor and said ignition timer, and operativelyinterconnecting said elements so that the two first mentioned elementsshall respectively operate u on said lever alternatively as power andulcrum and thereby regulate said ignition timer.-

- 2. In an ignition regulator, the combination with a manual rod .foroperatin a throttle valve, an ignition timer, an a manual rod foradjusting said ignition timer independently of said throttle valveoperative rod, of a lever, connected with said throttle valveoperativerod, said ignition timer and said manual rod 'for adjustingsaid ignition timer and operatively connccted with said three elementsin such a manner that the throttle valve operative rod and the manualrodfor adjusting said ignition timer shall respectively operate uponsaid lever alternatively as power and fulcrum and regulate said ignitiontimer.

3. In an ignition regulator, the combination with a device forcontrolling a throttle, a dcvi e responsive to engine speed and a devicefor controlling an ignition timer of a lever, having connection at itsextremities with said throttle control and ignition timer controllingdevices and intermediate the ends thereof with said speed responsivedevice, whereby said lever may operate upon said throttle controllingand speed responsive devices alternatively as fulcrums and actuate saidignition timer controlling device.

4. In' an ignition regulator, the combination with a rod for operating athrottle valve, a governor responsive to engine speed, and an ignitiontimer, of a lever, connected with said throttle valve operative rod,said governor and said ignition timer in such a manner. that when thethrottle is op erated'; thesaid throttle valve operative rod shalloperate upon said lever as a power and cause said lever to operate uponsaid governor as a fulcrum and regulate said ignition timer, and, whenthe governor operates, it shall operate upon said lever as a power. andcause said lever to operate uponsaid throttle valve, operative-rod as acrum and regulate said ignition timer.

5. In an ignition regulator, the combination with athrottle controldevice, a speed responsive device and an ignition timer control device;of a primary lever and a secondary lever, having their correspondingends connected with saidthrottle con-- trol and ignition timer controldevices, said secondary lever having connection with said speedresponsive device; and a coiiperating lever, fulcrumed at one end andhaving connection with said speed responsive device at its other end,said primary and coperating'leve'rs having a hinge connection with eachother at points intermediate the ends thereof; wherebysaid-primaryd'ever, in con junction with said cotiperating lever, may

i operate, alternatively with said secondary I device.

' said means having an adjustable hinge connection therewith, a governordevice, rigidmeans for imparting motion from said gov? ernor device tosaid co'cip'erating lever and said secondary lever and being hingedlyconnected to said levers, said-elements being so disposed as toautomatically control the ignition timer. I

7. In an ignition regulator, as described, a primary lever and asecondary lever, said levers each having their corresponding endshingedly connected with a throttle control means and with an ignitiontimer control means, respectively, a/ third or coiiperating leveroperating in conjunction with said primary lever, means for adjustablyand hingedly connecting said coiiperatlng and primary levers at pointsintermedlate the manual regulation of the same. a

9. In an ignition regulator, 1n comb1na-' ends of each, means hingedlyand adjustably attached to one extremity of said cotiperating lever foroperating the same, the other said lever extremities being attached to agoverning device, said governing device having connection also with thesecondary lever by an adjustable hinge connection, said means being sodisposed as to automatically 7 regulate the time of ignition and at thesame time admit of manual regulation of the same. j

8. In an ignition regulator, as described, a primary lever and asecondary lev'er, said levers having .hinge connection with-a throttlecontrol .device at their extremities,

an ignition .timer operative device having a slidable hinge connectionwith the other ends of said primary and secondary levers,-

said ignition timer operative device being providedwith other means forholdin the I same in resistance against the action of said levers, athird or. cotiperating lever sodis posed as'to cooperate with saidprimary'le ver and hingedly connected therewith by c a laterallyadjustable link, said link being attached to said levers at pointsintermedi-' ate the ends thereof, said third lever also be-, ingconnected at one end by a laterally adi justable hinge connection to amanually opa erated device and at'the other end to a gova erning device,which also has a hinge c0n-,' nectlonwith said secondary'lever, the coni necti on between the said governing device, i

said thid leverand said secondary lever being ri said elements being sodisposed as to automatically advance or retard the ignition timeroperative device and the time 1 of ignition and at the same time admitof tion, a primary lever and a secondary lever,

said levers having hin e connection witha throttle control device attheir extremities, an ignition timer operative device having a slidableconnection with the other ends of said primary and secondaryllever's,said de vice being provided with other means for holding the same inresistance against the action of said levers, and a third lever,so

disposedas to, codperate with said primary lever and hingedly connectedtherewith by a laterally adjustable link, said link being attached tosaid levers "at points intermediate the ends thereof, said third leveralso being connected at one end by a laterally ad justable hingeconnection to a manualc'ontrol device and at the other end to a govcrnordevice, which governor device also has a hinge connection with the saidsecondary lever, the connection between the said governor device, saidthird lever. and said secondary lever being rigid; said elements beingso disposed as to automatically advance or retard the ignition timeroperative device and the time oi ignition, and at the same time admit ofmanual regulation of thesame.

10. In an ignition regulator, the combination with a means for operatinga throttle valve, of a lever having a hinge connection with said meansat one extremity of the said nected at points intermediate the endsthere of, and said cooperating lever operating upon a fulcrum at one endand having connection atits other end with a manual control means; bymeans of which the time of ignition is regulated.

11. In an ignition regulator, as described, a primary lever,-hingedlyattached at one end to a throttle valve and at its other end to anignition timer operative device, a cooperating lever fulcrumed at onepoint and operating in conjunction with said primary lever, a connectingdevice for imparting motion from said cooperating lever to said primarylever, a manual control device having connection with said cooperatinglever for the purpose of permitting manual operation of said. ignitionregulator.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of 30 two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN G. CARPENTER.

Witnesses:

ERNEST C. GUY, LA VERA MILLER.

